Jehovah is his help, or Jehovah the
Saviour. The son of
Nun, of the
tribe of
Ephraim, the successor of
Moses as the leader of
Israel. He is called Jehoshua in
Num. 13:16 (A.V.), and
Jesus in
Acts 7:45 and
Heb. 4:8 (R.V., Joshua).
He was born in
Egypt, and was probably of the
age of
Caleb, with whom he is generally associated. He shared in all the events of the
Exodus, and held the place of commander of the
host of the Israelites at their great battle against the Amalekites in
Rephidim (
Ex. 17:8-16). He became Moses'
minister or servant, and accompanied him part of the way when he ascended
Mount Sinai to receive the two
tables (
Ex. 32:17). He was also one of the twelve who were sent
on by Moses to explore the land of
Canaan (
Num. 13:16, 17), and only he and Caleb gave an encouraging report. Under the direction of
God, Moses, before his
death, invested
Joshua in a public and solemn manner with authority over the people as his successor (
Deut. 31:23). The people were encamped at
Shittim when he assumed the command (
Josh. 1:1); and crossing the
Jordan, they encamped at
Gilgal, where, having circumcised the people, he kept the
Passover, and was visited by the
Captain of the Lord's host, who spoke to him encouraging words (1:1-9).
Now began the wars of conquest which Joshua carried on for many years, the record of which is in the
book which bears his name. Six nations and thirty-one kings were conquered by him (
Josh. 11:18-23; 12:24). Having thus subdued the
Canaanites, Joshua divided the land among the tribes,
Timnath-serah in Mount Ephraim being assigned to himself as his own inheritance. (See
SHILOH ; PRIEST.)
His work being done, he died, at the age of one hundred and ten years, twenty-five years after having crossed the Jordan. He was buried in his own
city of Timnath-serah (Josh. 24); and "the
light of Israel for the time faded away."
Joshua has been regarded as a
type of
Christ (
Heb. 4:8) in the following particulars: (1) In the name common to both; (2) Joshua brings the people into the possession of the Promised Land, as Jesus brings his people to the heavenly Canaan; and (3) as Joshua succeeded Moses,
so the
Gospel succeeds the Law.
The character of Joshua is thus
well sketched by Edersheim:, "Born a
slave in Egypt, he must have been about forty years old at the time of the Exodus. Attached to the person of Moses, he led Israel in the first decisive battle against
Amalek (
Ex. 17:9, 13), while Moses in the
prayer of
faith held up to
heaven the God-given 'rod.' It was
no doubt on that occasion that his name was changed from Oshea, 'help,' to Jehoshua, 'Jehovah is help' (
Num. 13:16). And this name is the
key to his
life and work. Alike in bringing the people into Canaan, in his wars, and in the distribution of the land among the tribes, from the miraculous crossing of Jordan and taking of
Jericho to his last address, he was the embodiment of his new name, 'Jehovah is help.' To this outward
calling his character also corresponded. It is marked by singleness of purpose, directness, and decision...He sets an object before him, and unswervingly follows it" (Bible Hist., iii. 103)